This invention relates to the controlling of the temperature of an engine, and more particularly, the monitoring and controlling of the exhaust temperature of an engine.
Controlling the temperature of exhaust from the combustion chamber of an engine is needed in order to enable the engine to run smoothly. If the exhaust temperature is too low, the engine will misfire. If the exhaust temperature is too high, components within the engine will overheat and malfunction which may result in serious damage to the engine. Current techniques to control exhaust temperature include manually adjusting the air flow through the engine by manually adjusting a performance map. However, this is difficult to do manually. Manual control does not respond rapidly to changes in the exhaust temperatures. In addition, if one combustion chamber is producing higher than desired exhaust temperatures the problem may go undetected until there is a component or engine failure.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above by dynamically controlling the exhaust temperature of the engine.
In one aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling the exhaust temperature of an engine is disclosed. The method includes the steps of sensing the exhaust temperature of the engine, determining a desired air pressure in response to the exhaust temperature, and controlling the air flow into the engine in response to the desired air pressure.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for controlling the exhaust temperature of an engine is disclosed. The apparatus includes an air temperature sensor for sensing an actual exhaust temperature within the exhaust manifold and responsively generating an exhaust temperature signal. The apparatus also includes a controlling means for receiving the exhaust temperature signal and comparing the exhaust temperature signal to a desired exhaust port temperature, determining a desired air pressure in response to said comparison.